16,000 Hires in Four Weeks with Michelle Link of Maximus

Michelle Link, Chief Human Resources Officer of Maximus, leads global HR for a workforce of 40,000 to 50,000 people. Her career includes HR leadership roles at Corning, Cigna, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, PRA Group, and ADS. At Maximus, she oversaw the hiring of 16,000 people in four weeks for the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. We talk with Michelle about what gets sacrificed in emergency-speed hiring, why Maximus pairs AI training with human-centered skills, and her case for hiring for likability. She also shares the interview question that reveals true self-awareness and the career advice she would give her younger self. KEY TAKEAWAYS 00:00 Introduction. 08:53 What a team gives up when 12,000 new hires start on a single Monday. 14:38 Where AI helps recruiters most, and the part of the job it can't touch. 17:23 Why every AI skill in a mandatory curriculum is paired with a human one. 23:26 A case for the hiring trait most leaders are told to ignore. 25:45 One interview question, asked three times, that exposes self-awareness. 33:22 How an AI agent quietly replaced a weekly competitive research task. 39:25 The career advice that is easy to give and hard to follow. Thank you for listening to "Hire Learning with Oz Rashid." Don't forget to leave us a review and subscribe so you don't miss out on future episodes. Connect with our host, Oz Rashid, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ozrashid. To learn more about MSH, visit https://www.talentmsh.com. RESOURCES MENTIONED Maximus, the government services company where Michelle leads global HR: https://maximus.com Eightfold AI, the platform Maximus uses as its skills and career hub: https://eightfold.ai “Vibe” by Adam Grant, the book behind Michelle's push for more team bonding: https://adamgrant.net/book/vibe/ World 50, the executive community behind the Adam Grant podcast conversation Michelle references: https://world50.com Claude, the AI tool Michelle uses as an on-demand executive coach: https://claude.ai #TalentAcquisition #HiringStrategy #AIinHR